By Makiza Micheline Latifa
As the world marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Anti-Fascist War, the upcoming Global South Academic Forum (GSAF 2025) is set to convene leading scholars, policymakers, and some of the most influential movement thinkers from across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Set to be held in Shanghai from November 13 to November 15, GSAF 2025 seeks to provide a powerful space for the Global South to rethink its collective past, redefine its global role, and articulate a shared vision for a just, multipolar world order.
Hosted by East China Normal University, the University of Johannesburg, and the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research, under the overarching theme “The Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the Postwar International Order: Past and Future,” the Global South Academic Forum (GSAF) positions itself as more than just a conference. It is envisioned as an intellectual and movement-driven platform, bridging the lessons of history with the contemporary struggles and aspirations of the Global South.
Reviving the Spirit of Global Solidarity
The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Anti-Fascist War is “an urgent call of the era” a reminder of the immense contributions and sacrifices of the Global South in the global fight against fascism, colonialism, and imperial domination.
The Forum thus positions itself as a rallying point for countries of the South to reclaim their historical agency, confront neo-fascist tendencies, and collectively safeguard peace and sovereignty.
“The Anti-Fascist War was not only fought in Europe,” said Vijay Prashad, historian, author, and Executive Director of the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research, in an interview with Pan African Television ahead of the Forum. “Millions across Asia, Africa, and Latin America took part in resisting fascism and colonialism. But those stories were buried under a Western narrative of victory. This Forum is about restoring that truth and learning from it.”
For Vijay, the 80th anniversary is both a commemoration and a wake-up call.
“We see worrying signs today the rise of imperialism, the weaponization of information, and the deepening of global inequality. Reviving the anti-fascist spirit means standing united against all these forms of domination; economic, political, and ideological,” he emphasized.
From Bandung to Shanghai: Reclaiming the Global South Agenda
One of the central messages of GSAF 2025 is the revival of South–South cooperation as the engine of global transformation. The Forum draws historical inspiration from the Bandung Conference (1955) and the Tricontinental Conference (1966), both of which symbolized solidarity and resistance to neocolonial control.
“The Global South is not a geographic concept it’s a political and moral identity,” Prashad explained. “It’s the part of the world that still struggles for dignity, equality, and the right to determine its own path. That’s why South–South cooperation is not charity or diplomacy it’s survival, it’s strategy.”
In this sense, the Forum seeks to bridge intellectual, economic, and political experiences from across the South, highlighting success stories such as China’s rural revitalization programs, Brazil’s land movements, and Africa’s regional integration efforts.
“What’s powerful about GSAF is that it brings together the lived practices of the South from China’s modernization model to African social movements into one space of dialogue and mutual learning,” said Prashad. “We are not looking for a single model, but for shared principles rooted in justice and solidarity.”
Themes of Reflection, Resistance, and Renewal
The 2025 Global South Academic Forum will unfold through a series of intellectually rich and forward-looking panel discussions designed to link history, peace, and development across the Global South.
One of the opening panels, “Sharing Rural Stories from the Global South: Development and Peace,” will spotlight how local development experiences, from China’s rural revitalization to African agrarian movements continue to shape models of peacebuilding and social transformation. It aims to show that the path to global stability often begins in the fields and communities of the South, where self-reliance and cooperation are daily realities.
Another major focus will be “The Post-War New Developments of the Global South and the Non-Aligned Movement.” This discussion will assess how countries once united under anti-colonial and peace agendas can renew their relevance amid today’s geopolitical polarization, reaffirming the call for a truly multipolar world.
Together, these panels and several others, form the backbone of GSAF 2025’s mission to reclaim historical agency, inspire intellectual solidarity, and chart practical pathways toward a just and peaceful future for the Global South.
The forum will feature keynote addresses from leading voices of the Global South, including Vijay Prashad of the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research, Busani Ngcaweni from the University of Johannesburg, Li Shenming of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Prof. Lu Xinyu of East China Normal University. Together, they will reflect on history, solidarity, and the future of a just multipolar world.
China and the Spirit of South–South Dialogue
China’s role in hosting the forum is seen as pivotal in bridging development experiences across the South. From rural revitalization initiatives to infrastructure partnerships under the Belt and Road framework, GSAF 2025 will provide a platform for exchange on practical models of cooperation.
For China, the Forum also serves as a means to deepen dialogue with the Global South on its modernization path and to share development experiences rooted in mutual respect rather than imposition.
As preparations for the conference intensify, the spirit of solidarity that once united Asia, Africa, and Latin America appears to be finding new resonance not just in historical reflection, but in the shared determination to build a fairer, multipolar world order grounded in cooperation, dignity, and mutual respect.
In an era of uncertainty and fragmentation, the Global South Academic Forum 2025 stands as a bold reminder that solidarity remains one of humanity’s most powerful tools for peace.